Bailiffs May Visit Abbey Branch

by Gill Montia

Story link: Bailiffs May Visit Abbey Branch

Abbey is making local headlines because one of its Manchester branches has failed to repay £2,769 to a customer who has successfully sued the bank for excessive overdraft charges.

The court order has so far been ignored and bailiffs may be visiting the branch as early as next week, if Abbey fails to settle up with its disgruntled customer, who was successful in making his claim in Manchester County court, in early June.

The number of consumers to have reclaimed overdraft charges, on the grounds that they are unreasonably high, is estimated to run into tens of thousands and in many cases all that has been needed is a letter to the bank.

However, there have been other reports of banks initially contesting claims and then making a settlement just before, or on the day of a court hearing.

Commonly banks have not attended court to defend themselves and in the case of Abbey’s Manchester branch the claimant was awarded an extra £276 because, in failing to offer a defence, the judge considered the bank’s conduct unreasonable.

Abbey is not leading the field in failing to respond to a court order; in April, bailiffs visited the head offices of the Halifax to pursue a claim for £1,900 on behalf of a customer.